From the Floor

Straight Talk on Manufacturing Operations

Field notes, frameworks, and hard-won lessons from the operations floor — no fluff, no theory without proof.

You Don’t Need a Better Tool. You Need a Better View of the Problem.

There is no shortage of improvement ideas.

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Chad BareitherOct 2026

Every Post — back to 2022

2026

Production Variability Has a Price Tag

Manufacturers spend a lot of time trying to make the financial plan more accurate.

Chad BareitherSep 2026

The Missing Link Between Strategy and the Shop Floor

“We have a strategy.” - “We have a morning meeting.” - “But they don’t seem connected.” That is where many small shops get stuck. Leadership sets a priority.

Chad BareitherAug 2026

Let Flow Be Your Teacher

A mentor once told me: “If I had to teach Lean using only one concept, it would be flow. Make the work flow. Where it doesn’t, learn why—and make it flow better.”

Chad BareitherJul 2026

Automation Won’t Save a Chaotic System

I once heard a realtor friend of mine say that as his clients choose to downside, they are usually 5 years too late.

Chad BareitherJun 2026

The Devil We Know: A Practical Starting Line for Operational Excellence

I contend, leaders do not need false urgency to begin continuous improvement. They do not need a consultant telling them the sky is falling.

Chad BareitherMay 2026

Embracing Springtime: Appreciating The Quiet Work of Renewal

As we enter April, I am reminded that spring is not just a season - it is a picture of renewal. The world around us begins to "wake up". Trees bud.

Chad BareitherApr 2026

Choosing the Right Problems to Solve for Lasting Results

Many leaders want an "army of problem solvers".

Chad BareitherMar 2026

Nearshoring is an Opportunity … For Predictable Lead Times

Imagine you buy a component with:

Chad BareitherFeb 2026

Most “goals” aren’t goals, they’re guesses

"Goal Setting" may have started for you in Q4 of 2025. Maybe you are still refining your priorities and targets now in January.

Chad BareitherJan 2026

2025

Stop Stacking Initiatives: Install Stability Before the Next Change

A few weeks ago, a client surprised me in a way that (honestly) made me smile. They hit pause. Not because the business was slow.

Chad BareitherDec 2025

Respect for People = Respect for Reality

In Improve LESS, I define a problem very simply: any time actual results don’t match what you expected. The key is how you respond.

Chad BareitherNov 2025

Focus Creates Flow: How to Pick the Critical Few in Manufacturing

Busy isn’t the same as productive. Most plants I see don’t suffer from a shortage of ideas; they suffer from a surplus of priorities.

Chad BareitherOct 2025

Continuous Improvement

Solution < System < Culture

In your manufacturing world, the quest for efficiency and excellence may not be ever present on your mind, but it is on-going.

Chad BareitherSep 2025

Safety Mindset and it's impacts on Operational Excellence

"Should he be wearing gloves?" "I think he's fine."

Chad BareitherAug 2025

A Learning Mindset - Your key to Transformational Leadership

The concept of a learning mindset is crucial for transforming entire organizations.

Chad BareitherJul 2025

Recognizing Trends: Giving your Team the Keys to Operational Excellence

In manufacturing and operations, the ability to recognize and adapt to trends is crucial for operational excellence.

Chad BareitherJun 2025

Don't Standardize ... Yet

Organizations often leap directly into standardizing processes, believing that documented procedures alone will drive consistency and improvement.

Chad BareitherMay 2025

"Responsible" or "Accountable"

In Lean Management and continuous improvement, the concepts of "responsibility" and "accountability" are often misunderstood or conflated.

Chad BareitherApr 2025

Back to Basics: The Overlooked Power of Mastering Fundamentals in Lean Management

In the fast-paced world of operations and manufacturing, there's a constant push for innovation and advancement.

Chad BareitherMar 2025

The Journey to Unveiling Manufacturing Operations for True Transformation

In manufacturing, a common misunderstanding persists: that exploiting utilization in segments of operations (cells, machines) will automatically lead to…

Chad BareitherFeb 2025

Make Your Manufacturing Flow with Strategic Buffers

In fast-paced manufacturing environments, managing the flow of operations effectively is crucial for success.

Chad BareitherJan 2025

2024

#ImproveLESS ... using a 90-Day Plan to Pursue Strategy

As we approach the end of another year, it’s time for both reflection and action, particularly in the ever-changing field of manufacturing.

Chad BareitherDec 2024

The Balance Between Analysis and Bias for Action in Operations

As operational leaders, our ultimate goal is to boost productivity and reduce lead time within our organizations to better serve our customers.

Chad BareitherNov 2024

Information Flow - How Daily Management Promotes Efficient and Effective Decision Making

At its core, information flow means sharing important data and insights throughout an organization.

Chad BareitherOct 2024

Cultivating a Productive Business Culture

Your business success and scale isn't solely about products or services; it's about the people and the culture.

Chad BareitherSep 2024

Daily Management is Information Flow

As leaders in competitive industries like medical devices and pharmaceuticals, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of your processes and…

Chad BareitherAug 2024

The Value of Small Steps

During a recent client engagement, leadership expressed the desire to improve efficiency. They felt the work could get done faster.

Chad BareitherJul 2024

To be, or Not to be Productive

The question of "productivity" looms large in most sectors. Productivity, or Efficiency, is a measure of output per resources for input.

Chad BareitherJun 2024

What is your 'culture' eating for breakfast?

It is said that "culture eats strategy for breakfast." Implying that a great strategy, a great plan starts off destined to fail.

Chad BareitherMay 2024

Willingness to Sell

From the Harvard Business Review article "Eliminate Strategic Overload"[1] the author puts forward two crucial drivers of value: willingness to buy and…

Chad BareitherApr 2024

Building Organizational Resilience

In today's dynamic landscape of the industry, the ability to withstand and recover from challenges is paramount.

Chad BareitherMar 2024

Process, Process, Process

Greetings, fellow enthusiasts of continuous improvement!

Chad BareitherFeb 2024

"Entropy - Things fall apart if you let ‘em." - Harlan Bareither

My grandfather graduated from University of Illinois with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering then enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed in Ft.

Chad BareitherJan 2024

2023

Your Business Plan for 2024

The new year is fast approaching, and with it will come new challenges and opportunities for your businesses regardless of sizes and industries.

Chad BareitherDec 2023

The Key to Lasting Success

Title: Sustaining Improvements in Lean Manufacturing: The Key to Lasting Success In today's business world, efficiency isn't just beneficial; it's a…

Chad BareitherNov 2023

Less is More

In a world where busyness has become both a humble brag and an existential reassurance, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by our schedules and commitments.

Chad BareitherOct 2023

Unlocking Business Success: My Journey on the Yeukai Business Show

Hello, everyone! I am excited to share that I recently had the honor of being a guest on the Yeukai Business Show.

Chad BareitherSep 2023

What is a business "system"?

Sometimes people refer to their ERP tool as a business system. But that is not what I mean.

Chad BareitherAug 2023

Good Systems or Good People ... yes.

A lot of investment is placed in Talent Acquisition as well as Learning & Development.

Chad BareitherJul 2023

Continuous Improvement

Welcome to the BGC Blog

Insights, observations, and lessons learned in the world of Continuous Improvement These articles are a collection of ideas from real-life application…

Chad BareitherJul 2023

Continuous Improvement

So ... "how" do we improve?

Most continuous improvement or operational excellence programs that I encounter are very "project focused".

Chad BareitherMar 2023

Continuous Improvement

How often should I measure?

Walking across the concrete production floor, I look down at my phone. 9:50am, plant review starts in 10 minutes.

Chad BareitherFeb 2023

Lean

Soft Skill!?

The Harvard Business School conducted a corporate survey in 2000 and concluded that about 70% of change initiatives fail to achieve desired outcome (link).

Chad BareitherJan 2023

2022

Lean

Is ALL inventory 'waste'?

In Lean we are taught of the seven deadly wastes (or eight depending upon your teacher/coach).

Chad BareitherDec 2022

Lean

Go With The Flow

A state of flow is the mental state where a person is fully immersed in a feeling, sometimes known as being in the zone.

Chad BareitherNov 2022

Continuous Improvement

What's your process?

Social Media has become a primary platform for professional athletes in snowboarding, wakeboarding and surfing to demonstrate their skills and become a…

Chad BareitherOct 2022

Lean

Flavor of the Month

Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins founded their company that would grow into the world's largest chain of ice cream shops in 1945.

Chad BareitherSep 2022

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